Myrta Z. Belknap was born on October 19, 1862. Where exactly she came into the world remains a bit unclear. Some say Pennsylvania. Others point to New York. The lack of certainty about her birthplace adds a layer of mystery to a life already surrounded by shadows.
Her parents were John Sands Belknap and Lucy G. Beers. Beyond their names, little else is known about her early years. Records from that time offer just fragments—pieces of a puzzle that never quite come together.
Wife to a Dark Figure
Myrta’s name is mostly known because of her marriage to H.H. Holmes, one of the most infamous criminals in American history. But there’s more to her than just being a footnote in someone else’s story.
When she married Holmes, Myrta found herself in Chicago. There, she became involved in managing a drugstore. In a time when women were rarely seen as equals in business, Myrta took on real responsibility.
She handled the bookkeeping. She kept the day-to-day business running. She supported her husband’s professional life while also maintaining her household. That balance wasn’t easy. But she managed it quietly and effectively.
Working Behind the Scenes
Her role in the drugstore might not have made newspaper headlines. But it was crucial. In a male-dominated era, just being involved in business operations showed determination and grit.
Women of that time weren’t often credited for their work. Most of what they did remained invisible. Myrta’s efforts were likely seen as part of her duties as a wife, rather than as contributions in their own right.
Still, she helped run a business. She held her own in a world that didn’t give her much space.
Money Wasn’t the Measure
There’s not much recorded about Myrta’s financial standing. No reports of wealth. No property records that stand out. It’s likely that, like many women of her time, she wasn’t seen as having money of her own.
Back then, financial records didn’t track women’s assets the way they do today. Everything was tied to the husband. So even if Myrta contributed, the credit rarely followed.
Raising a Daughter in the Shadows
Myrta and Holmes had a daughter, Lucy Theodate Holmes. Lucy eventually changed her last name to Hunter, possibly to step away from the dark cloud of her father’s legacy.
Being a mother in such circumstances couldn’t have been easy. After separating from Holmes, Myrta chose a quieter life. She kept Lucy safe, away from the headlines and away from the chaos that followed Holmes.
There’s little else known about Myrta’s later years. But it’s clear she valued privacy and family above all.
A Woman Overlooked by History
Myrta’s story is largely shaped by the man she married. That’s how the world remembered her. But look a little closer, and another picture starts to form.
She was a businesswoman in her own right. A mother who protected her daughter. A woman who lived through scandal without letting it define her.
In the broader story of American history, Myrta represents countless women whose work went unrecorded. Whose lives were shaped by systems they didn’t control. And yet, they endured.
Myrta Z. Belknap lived in the shadow of a monster, but she didn’t let that shadow consume her. Her quiet strength deserves to be remembered.